This invention relates to floor covering installation equipment and to methods of installing floor covering.
Installing carpet is a laborious task and the art is replete with tools specifically designed to facilitate and hasten carpet installation. Of the various tools available for carpet installation is the seaming board, which is a long flat board that is placed on the carpet padding between edges of adjacent carpet sections. Seam tape is disposed on the board, which is heated with an iron. After the seam tape is sufficiently activated in which the adhesive of the seam tape is melted, the iron is removed and portions of the opposing edges are pressed onto the activated portion of the seam tape, joining the portions of the opposing edges of the carpet sections together. A weight is usually applied in order to permit the melted adhesive to impregnate the underlayment of the carpet and to increase adhesion. This process is repeated until the edges of the carpet sections are joined together, in which a seam is produced. The seaming board prevents the adhesive from impregnating the carpet padding and prevents the carpet padding from becoming burned and damaged from the iron during this installation process, and provides a working area for safely activating the seam tape.
Using a seaming board, while important, is cumbersome. After a portion of the seam tape is activated, the seaming board must be advanced in order to activate the additional portions of the seam tape. Advancing the seaming board is usually done by hand, in which the seaming board is taken up by hand and advanced. This is inefficient, cumbersome, frustrating and time consuming, adding valuable time to the carpet installation process. Sometimes, a rope is tied to one end of the seaming board, in which one worker pulls on the seaming board with the rope advancing it while another worker mans the iron activating the seam tape and joining the edges of the opposing carpet sections together. This method is inefficient, as it requires two workers.
Given these and many other deficiencies in the art of seaming boards, there is a need for a new and improved seaming board that is easy to make, easy to use, inexpensive, highly efficient and that incorporates useful features for hastening and improving the efficiency of the joining the edges of opposing carpet sections in a carpet installation procedure.
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in a new and improved seaming board that includes opposing ends, opposing upper and lower major surfaces and attached abutment structure. The abutment structure is attached to the seaming board proximate one of the opposing ends, and is adjustable between a closed condition opposing the upper surface and an open condition away from the upper surface. In its closed condition, the abutment structure is capable of receiving a forcible impulse thereagainst by an implement, such as an iron, advancing along the upper surface of the seaming board. The abutment structure consists of opposing pivoted elements, which are adjustable between the closed condition opposing the upper surface and the open condition splayed away from the upper surface. An engagement of the opposing pivoted elements occurs in the closed condition of the abutment structure. The pivoted elements are attached at either side of the seaming board. Preferably, one of the opposing pivoted elements is fashioned with a receptacle, which receives the other of the opposing pivoted elements in the closed condition of the abutment structure, securing the pivoted elements in the closed condition.
Another embodiment of the invention is a seaming board that includes opposing ends, opposing sides, opposing upper and lower major surfaces and attached abutment structure. The abutment structure is attached at the opposing sides of the seaming board proximate one of the opposing ends, and is adjustable between a closed condition opposing the upper surface and an open condition away from the upper surface and the opposing sides of the seaming board. In its closed condition, the abutment structure is capable of receiving a forcible impulse by an implement, such as an iron, advancing along the upper surface of the seaming board. The abutment structure consists of a first element pivoted to one of the opposing sides of the seaming board and an opposing second element pivoted to the other of the opposing sides of the seaming board. The first and second elements are capable of being pivoted between the closed condition opposing the upper surface and the open condition splayed away from the upper surface. An engagement occurs between the first and second elements in the closed condition of the abutment structure. Preferably, one of the first and second elements is fashioned with a receptacle, which receives the other of the first and second elements in the closed condition of the abutment structure, securing the pivoted elements in the closed condition.
Yet another embodiment of the invention consists of a seaming board including opposing ends and opposing upper and lower major surfaces, an attached iron and attached abutment structure. In this embodiment, the iron includes a force applying end and is disposed against the upper surface, usually applied directly to seam tape disposed on the upper surface of the seaming boarding in a carpet installation process. The abutment structure is attached to the seaming board proximate one of the opposing ends and is adjustable between a closed condition engaging the force applying end of the iron and an open condition away from the force applying end of the iron. The abutment structure consists of a first element pivoted to one of the opposing sides of the seaming board and an opposing second element pivoted to the other of the opposing sides of the seaming board. The first and second elements are capable of being pivoted between the closed condition opposing the upper surface engaging the force applying end of the iron and the open condition splayed away from the upper surface. An engagement occurs between the first and second elements in the closed condition of the abutment structure. Preferably, one of the first and second elements is fashioned with a receptacle, which receives the other of the first and second elements in the closed condition of the abutment structure, securing the pivoted elements in the closed condition.
Consistent with the foregoing, the invention also contemplates associated methods.